Erhu, Brute?

Posted
Sunday March 1 & Tuesday, March 3

The past and present will collide Tuesday — in a musical sense, at least — as some of China’s most ancient musical sounds will be featured in a concert of contemporary classical music. The concert, part of Michigan State University College of Music’s Musique 21 concert series, is a collaboration between the University Chorale and the Vancouverbased new music group, the Orchid Ensemble.

The Orchid Ensemble is a trio that combines two traditional Chinese instruments, the erhu (Chinese fiddle) and the zheng (a plucked, zither-like instrument), with marimba and other percussion. Founded in 1997, the group performs a mix of contemporary classical music and arrangements of Chinese folk music.

Lan Tung (pictured middle left), the group’s founder and artistic director, plays erhu in the ensemble. The erhu’s closest relative in the Western world is the violin, but the sound is very different.

“It’s like a singing voice,” said Tung. “Like a blend of voice and violin.”

Tung started the ensemble as a way to explore music outside of the Chinese folk repertoire.

“I’m interested in different styles of music,” she said. “It’s like learning new languages. Some people can speak several languages, that’s how I approach music.”

For percussionist Jonathan Bernard (top left), the blurring of cultural and stylistic boundaries is at the core of the group’s mission.

“We often play chamber music at folk festivals, or traditional Chinese music at new music recitals,” he said. “We naturally break down genre boundaries.”

Bernard is quick to point out that even among Chinese folk traditions, there are a wide variety of musical styles.

“The music of China is very diverse,” he explained. “There are 52 recognized minority groups in China.”

These groups include Chinese Muslims who live near the eastern border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mongolianinfluenced groups in the north and even a population of Persian Jews who settled in central China in the 10th century. One piece on the program, “Ya Ribon,” is an arrangement of a traditional Ashkenazi sacred song that represents their fusion of Jewish and Chinese culture.

Dr. David Rayl, director of choral music, values the chance to bring musicians from around the world to MSU.

“It’s great to give students experiences with non-Western music,” he said. “It widens their cultural perspective.”

Learning the music for this concert presented new challenges to the choir, which usually traffics in the choral traditions of the U.S. and Europe.

“We don’t typically sing in Mandarin,” said Rayl. “We have two students who speak Mandarin, and they have been immensely helpful.

Outside of language, the program offers considerable musical challenges. “Ghost Mind,” by composer Jin Zhang, explores the idea of the afterlife among different cultures. Parts of the piece require creative interpretation of the music by the performers.

“The notation is vague,” Rayl said. “It has an improvisatory character.”

The score also calls for the performers to whisper, speak and make other nonsinging sounds.

“The challenge is to get the choir to be expressive, even when they are not singing,” said Rayl.

The Orchid Ensemble arrives Sunday, and will give a free performance at the Eli and Edyth Broad Museum. They will spend the next two days working closely with the choir to prepare for the Tuesday concert. For Tung, working with these students gives them an intimate experience with unfamiliar instruments.

“It’s more than a concert, where they would hear the instruments for an hour and then go home. They really learn the sound of the instrument,” she said.

“It’s something they will remember for years."

The Orchid Ensemble

2 p.m. Sunday, March 1. FREE. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum 547 E. Circle Drive, East Lansing. 517) 884-0659, broadmuseum.msu.edu

Musique 21: University Chorale with guest artists the Orchid Ensemble

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3 FREE Fairchild Theatre, MSU Auditorium 542 Auditorium Road, East Lansing (517) 353-5340, music.msu.edu


FRIDAY FEB. 27 >> ‘TO LIGHT A CANDLE’ SCREENING

MSU’s Baha’i Student Association will discuss the systematic injustices of those practicing the peace-seeking Baha’i Faith in Iran with a screening of journalist Maziar Bahari’s film “To Light a Candle.” The film depicts the persecution of Baha’i people in Iran, focusing on those involved with the shutdown of the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education. Because of this injustice, Baha’i followers created an underground university for hundreds of students around the world. The film features interviews, footage from citizen journalists, archival material and letters from Baha’i prisoners in Iran. 6-8 p.m. FREE. MSU International Center, 427 N. Shaw Lane, Room 170, East Lansing. (734) 417-4550.

FRIDAY FEB. 27-28 >> MSU VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Theater Listen to stories celebrating diverse female voices at MSU’s Vagina PREVIEW Monologues. Hear stories from a grandmother, a 6-year-old girl and a Bosnian rape survivor. This event seeks to empower women to share their voices and raise awareness of violence against women around the world. A portion of the ticket cost will be donated to the Firecracker Foundation, whose mission is to provide highquality, consistent therapy for children and teens who have survived sexual trauma. Friday 8 p.m.; Saturday 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. $20/$10 students. Wharton Center, Pasant Theatre, 750 E. Shaw Lane, East Lansing. facebook.com/vmonsatmsu.

FRIDAY FEB. 27-28 >> PETER PAN BALLET

Take a step into Neverland with the East Lansing Theatre and Dance Company’s production of “Peter Pan, Adventures in Neverland, An Original Ballet in One Act.” With the help of a narrator, dancers from ages 5 to 70 will tell the classic story through ballet movement and physical theater. Join Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys and other Neverlanders in this creative retelling of the beloved children’s story. Friday 7 p.m.; Saturday 2 p.m. $10. Bath Middle School Auditorium, 13675 Webster Road, Bath. (517) 336-4088.

SATURDAY FEB. 28 >> RED CEDAR FESTIVAL OF BANDS

Toot your own horn at free instrumental clinics during the 20th annual Red Cedar Festival of Bands. Eleven Michigan community bands will be featured at the event, including bands from DeWitt, Meridian Township and Charlotte. Since 1996, 49 musical organizations have performed at the festival, networking with other musicians and improving their own musicianship in the process. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE. Okemos High School, 2800 Jolly Road, Okemos. redcedarfestival@ meridiancommunityband.org.

SUNDAY MARCH 1 >> ELIZABETH YOUNGBLOOD OPENING RECEPTION

View the genre-defying artwork of Detroit artist Elizabeth Youngblood at the Grove Gallery & Studios opening reception. Youngblood often uses a combination of 2D drawing and 3D weaving to create her artwork, creating a unique viewing experience. Noon-4 p.m. FREE. Grove Gallery & Studios, 325 Grove St. Suite A, East Lansing. grovegalleryandstudios.com.

MONDAY MARCH 2 >> SUSAN CAIN TALK

Break out of your shell and join Susan Cain, author of the New York Times bestseller “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in A World That Can’t Stop Talking.” Her book focuses on how society undervalues introverts and discusses successful introverts like Dr. Seuss and Rosa Parks. Bill Gates has said that Cain’s TED Talk is one of his all-time favorite talks, with the video having over seven million views worldwide. 7:30 p.m. $20/FREE for MSU students and staff. Wharton Center, Cobb Great Hall, 750 E. Shaw Lane. East Lansing. whartoncenter.com/events/detail/susan-cain.

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